Farm worker appreciation day

By Georgia Pabst of the Journal Sentinel

Published on: 7/31/2009

Every season there's a day set aside to thank the many workers who pick and process the food we eat.

This Sunday (Aug. 2) the United Migrant Oportunity Services Inc. (UMOS) will hold it's annual farmworker appreciation day in Wautoma. The day of festivities begins with a mass in Spanish at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Wautoma at 11:30 a.m. After that there's food and games for the children in the church parking lot.

But the day isn't just about fun and games. In the afternoon beginning at 2 p.m., the Wisconsin Council on Migrant Labor will hold a public hearing where issues and concerns related to agriculture and farm labor can be discussed.

This year it's estimated between 2,500 and 3,000 migrant farm workers will come to the state to join the farm worker force already here, according to Juan Jose Lopez, the director of the bureau of migrant, refugee and labor services for the Department of Workforce Development. .

After the public hearing, hat the council will hold its regular meeting. Items include discussion on a recent report that shows the increasing reliance of the state's dairy industry on immigrant workers.

An ad hoc advisory subcommittee on dairy issues is expected to recommend that the issue of immigrant and migrant labor in the state's dairy industry be further studied, with a special focus on housing and labor conditions.

The council will also consider a resolution commending the lateFrancisco Rodriguez for his life of service, activism and passion for migrant issues and for his work as a former migrnat labor inspector for the state.